When staff at The University of Nottingham were asked how they felt about teamwork, a gruelling 1,000-mile bike ride might not have been what they had in mind…
However, Vice-Chancellor Professor David Greenaway persuaded a handful of colleagues to join him in taking on the challenge and they are determined to cycle the length of Britain in just 13 days.
The ‘Life Cycle’ team will ride from John O’Groats to Land’s End to raise funds for the University’s Sue Ryder Care Centre for the Study of Supportive, Palliative and End of Life Care, while marking the build-up to the autumn launch of the University’s £200 million fundraising campaign — the largest in the institution’s history.
Representing the Malaysia Campus on the ride is the Dean of the Faculty of Arts & Social Sciences, Professor Neville Wylie. Training since the start of the New Year, Professor Wylie has had his fair share of (mis) adventures.
‘Training in Malaysia brings its own particular challenges - wheel devouring pot-holes, packs of monkeys (who've occasionally barred my way) and, of course, the heat and humidity, that make doing anything on asphalt after 9.30am pure madness. There are, however, many up-sides - not least the thrill of cycling along misty-roads in the early morning, and listening to the hoots, chirps and whoops of the jungle around you.’
Professor Wylie also added, ‘It’ll be a privilege to represent the Malaysia campus on the ride. We are an increasingly important part of the University and central to Nottingham’s reputation as one of the world’s leading global universities.
The Life Cycle will begin on August 26. To support the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Wylie and the rest of the team, find out where the money will go or see a provisional route, please visit the Life Cycle website. This site will be regularly updated during each step of the team’s journey.
To date the Life Cycle has raised a massive GBP 171,774 to help them on their way to their goal of GBP 200,000 learn more about how you can donate or sponsor a rider.
Notes to editors:
Please see the full list of staff taking part below:
• Professor David Greenaway — Vice-Chancellor
• Professor Karen Cox — Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Staffing and Community
• Mrs Ann Greenwood — member of Council since 1999, Chair of the Audit Committee
• Mr Chris Jagger — Chief Estates and Facilities Officer
• Professor Nick Miles — Provost & CEO, University of Nottingham Ningbo China
• Dr Andrew Noyes — Professor of Education
• Mrs Kate Robertson — Director of Development and Alumni Relations
• Professor Chris Rudd — Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Knowledge Transfer and Business Engagement
• Mr Steve Wright — University Driver
• Professor Neville Wylie — Dean, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, University of Nottingham Malaysia Campus
More information about the Sue Ryder Care Centre for the Study of Supportive, Palliative and End of Life Care can be found at: http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/NMP/Research/SPC/index.aspx
The Centre led by Professors Jane Seymour and Karen Cox has a special collaborative relationship with the charity Sue Ryder Care, and is pleased to be able to share the name of this key provider of palliative and neurological care. For more information about the charity, please visit http://www.suerydercare.org/
The University of Nottingham, described by The Sunday Times University Guide 2011 as ‘the embodiment of the modern international university’, has award-winning campuses in the United Kingdom, China and Malaysia. It is ranked in the UK's Top 10 and the World's Top 75 universities by the Shanghai Jiao Tong (SJTU) and the QS World University Rankings. It was named ‘Europe’s greenest university’ in the UI GreenMetric World University Ranking, a league table of the world’s most environmentally-friendly higher education institutions, which ranked Nottingham second in the world overall.
The University is committed to providing a truly international education for its 40,000 students, producing world-leading research and benefiting the communities around its campuses in the UK and Asia.
More than 90 per cent of research at The University of Nottingham is of international quality, according to the most recent Research Assessment Exercise, with almost 60 per cent of all research defined as ‘world-leading’ or ‘internationally excellent’. Research Fortnight analysis of RAE 2008 ranked the University 7th in the UK by research power.
The University’s vision is to be recognised around the world for its signature contributions, especially in global food security, energy & sustainability, and health.
More news from the University at: http://www.nottingham.edu.my/NewsEvents/News.aspx
More information about the Sue Ryder Care Centre for the Study of Supportive, Palliative and End of Life Care can be found at: http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/NMP/Research/SPC/index.aspx
Posted on 22nd August 2011